Coming up in Philly Music: PCMS presents the Junction Trio

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society has put together a program that features an interesting Philadelphia premiere and two perennial crowdpleasers. They’ll be played by a young chamber group making its first PCMS appearance.

The musicians are the Junction Trio, an ensemble of piano, violin, and cello who are noted for the range and variety of their programming. The new piece is a 2015 trio by the widely played composer/saxophonist John Zorn. Loosely based on the slow movement of Beethoven’s Ghost trio, it’s been called “creepy, haunting” and “ferocious.”

The two older pieces are trios by Charles Ives and Maurice Ravel. Charles Ives’ work tends to be a rarity on concert programs but it’s always popular with audiences. His one and only work for this instrumental combination is a challenging, technically difficult piece with passages that play with themes from songs like the hymn Rock of Ages. The Ravel is a trio most chamber music enthusiasts have heard many times, but its musical inventiveness and rich harmonies create an experience that never loses its power.

What, When, Where, and Accessibility

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society will present The Junction Trio on Thursday, May 20, at 6pm, livestreamed from the Benjamin Franklin Hall of the American Philosophical Society. The livestream can be viewed on the PCMS website and is pay-what-you-wish. The video may remain available for 72 hours after the performance “subject to the approval of the artists.” Limited in-person seating is sold out but you can call (215) 569-8080 to join the waiting list.

Image Description: A portrait shot of the Junction Trio. They're wearing all black against a dark backdrop. Stefan Jackiw holds his violin and Jay Campbell has his cello.